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FAMILY-RUN CREPERIE STANDS TALL; CREPES DE GERARD HAS SURVIVED FOR 25 YEARS IN FOOD COURT
The Gazette (Montreal)
August 1, 2013 Thursday
Early Edition
by PAUL DELEAN, The Gazette
Flat business is not a positive trend, even for a creperie, but the
Saradarian family is keeping the faith.
Despite the difficult economic climate, they decided to commit to
another 10-year lease for their family business, Crepes de Gerard,
one of the original tenants and now one of few independents left in
the Eaton Centre food court downtown.
"It's not easy, especially the last few years, but if this didn't
exist anymore, I'd feel empty. This is my life. When someone buys
something here and returns to say 'I loved it,' that's uplifting. I
had one customer who showed up with Christmas gifts for our children;
I cried," Angela Saradarian, 41, said.
"I was with Air Canada eight years, and I missed working with my
family. I get to do that now every day," sister Serrah, 39, added.
Their family has operated Crepes de Gerard for 25 years.
Of Armenian heritage, parents Suzanne and Gerard Saradarian emigrated
from Lebanon in 1987, seeking a safer life for themselves and their
teenage girls.
"Friends told us Canada was a good place to go, especially to start
a business. And we liked that it was bilingual," Suzanne, 59, said.
Like his father before him, Gerard had trained as a chef and operated
two restaurants in Lebanon. So that figured prominently in his
Canadian vision.
With family recipes honed during his stints in several countries,
Crepes de Gerard opened next to what was then the tiny "no-smoking"
section of the Eaton Centre food court.
"As a non-smoker myself, I was happy we were there," Serrah recalled.
While the food was generally well received, recipes needed some
fine-tuning because of different tastes and ingredients here.
"Gruyère wasn't the right cheese; we switched to mozzarella. We learned
people here like maple syrup, and they wanted sauce on asparagus,"
Serrah said.
Over time, Crepes de Gerard developed a core menu of about three dozen
crepes, most in the $7 to $10 range, including two named for the girls:
the Angie (strawberries and whipped cream) and the Sissi (chocolate,
banana and strawberries). Some clients order the same one every time,
Serrah said.
Because they grew up in the business and spend so much time there, the
sisters have a keen awareness of client behaviour and seasonal trends.
They can tell from the foodcourt trays who's pleasing customers and
who isn't. "People finish our plates; that's a good sign," Angela said.
For them, mid-January to Valentine's Day is "dead season." Any day
that it rains or snows, or the Canadiens have a home game against
Toronto or Boston is a good day. In summer, lunch is slow, because
so many downtown workers are on holiday, but late-afternoon is strong
because of the tourists.
July is the peak month for tourists from France, who often order two
crepes: one as the main course and another as dessert. Latin tourists
take over in August.
The core clientele of the business is local, however, and it's changed
significantly since the 2008-09 recession, Serrah said.
"There are fewer workers in the offices; that's made a big difference.
Also, we've noticed that some people who used to come five days a
week are down to two or three. Others started bringing their lunch
and just buy dessert. Some stopped buying soft drinks, opting for a
glass of water instead. We understand. Money's tight. We just hope
the economy will get better and the tourists return."
Crepes de Gerard isn't a sales leader in the food court, where
it competes alongside franchises with purchasing power and brand
recognition, but it's staying afloat, in part because 71-year-old
Gerard still pitches in and shops for bargains, and the sisters have
done without a raise in five years.
"There are five families living from this business - ours, our parents,
and our two employees - so we want to keep it going," Serrah said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
The Gazette (Montreal)
August 1, 2013 Thursday
Early Edition
by PAUL DELEAN, The Gazette
Flat business is not a positive trend, even for a creperie, but the
Saradarian family is keeping the faith.
Despite the difficult economic climate, they decided to commit to
another 10-year lease for their family business, Crepes de Gerard,
one of the original tenants and now one of few independents left in
the Eaton Centre food court downtown.
"It's not easy, especially the last few years, but if this didn't
exist anymore, I'd feel empty. This is my life. When someone buys
something here and returns to say 'I loved it,' that's uplifting. I
had one customer who showed up with Christmas gifts for our children;
I cried," Angela Saradarian, 41, said.
"I was with Air Canada eight years, and I missed working with my
family. I get to do that now every day," sister Serrah, 39, added.
Their family has operated Crepes de Gerard for 25 years.
Of Armenian heritage, parents Suzanne and Gerard Saradarian emigrated
from Lebanon in 1987, seeking a safer life for themselves and their
teenage girls.
"Friends told us Canada was a good place to go, especially to start
a business. And we liked that it was bilingual," Suzanne, 59, said.
Like his father before him, Gerard had trained as a chef and operated
two restaurants in Lebanon. So that figured prominently in his
Canadian vision.
With family recipes honed during his stints in several countries,
Crepes de Gerard opened next to what was then the tiny "no-smoking"
section of the Eaton Centre food court.
"As a non-smoker myself, I was happy we were there," Serrah recalled.
While the food was generally well received, recipes needed some
fine-tuning because of different tastes and ingredients here.
"Gruyère wasn't the right cheese; we switched to mozzarella. We learned
people here like maple syrup, and they wanted sauce on asparagus,"
Serrah said.
Over time, Crepes de Gerard developed a core menu of about three dozen
crepes, most in the $7 to $10 range, including two named for the girls:
the Angie (strawberries and whipped cream) and the Sissi (chocolate,
banana and strawberries). Some clients order the same one every time,
Serrah said.
Because they grew up in the business and spend so much time there, the
sisters have a keen awareness of client behaviour and seasonal trends.
They can tell from the foodcourt trays who's pleasing customers and
who isn't. "People finish our plates; that's a good sign," Angela said.
For them, mid-January to Valentine's Day is "dead season." Any day
that it rains or snows, or the Canadiens have a home game against
Toronto or Boston is a good day. In summer, lunch is slow, because
so many downtown workers are on holiday, but late-afternoon is strong
because of the tourists.
July is the peak month for tourists from France, who often order two
crepes: one as the main course and another as dessert. Latin tourists
take over in August.
The core clientele of the business is local, however, and it's changed
significantly since the 2008-09 recession, Serrah said.
"There are fewer workers in the offices; that's made a big difference.
Also, we've noticed that some people who used to come five days a
week are down to two or three. Others started bringing their lunch
and just buy dessert. Some stopped buying soft drinks, opting for a
glass of water instead. We understand. Money's tight. We just hope
the economy will get better and the tourists return."
Crepes de Gerard isn't a sales leader in the food court, where
it competes alongside franchises with purchasing power and brand
recognition, but it's staying afloat, in part because 71-year-old
Gerard still pitches in and shops for bargains, and the sisters have
done without a raise in five years.
"There are five families living from this business - ours, our parents,
and our two employees - so we want to keep it going," Serrah said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress